CARAPACE:
Silicone polymere casing, housing armor's main technological
functions. The right breast plate of the carapace contains the ring compartment
from which the wearer extracts the armor's control ring.

HELM:
Fitted helmet equipped with retractable face plate
and audio processors. Face plate also features heads up display capabilities
to receive images from either remote or external viewing node.

ARMOR LAYERS:

PRIMARY SHELL:
This solid organometallic array, used in the carapace,
gauntlet, and greaves, serves as a first line of defense for the wearer.
The armor compound has the ability to withstand extreme temperatures and
has a high degree of resiliency. Its main purpose is to house the technological
and weapons systems of the X-O armor.

SECONDARY SHELL:
This flexible endo-shielding makes up the majority
of the X-O armor and serves as a supporting line of defense. The silicon
metalloid mesh is most functional as an energy absorption unit for the
armor.

SENSORY INTERFACE NET:
This third layer, composed of silicon irons arranged
in a coordination tissue array, serves as information exchange between
wearer and armor. The X-O armor's limited telepathic ability is dependent
on tactile contact with the wearer. This contact facilitates the armor's
protection and healing functions.

ARIC OF DACIA
Chief Operating Officer of Orb Industries. In 408
A.D., Aric, one of a tribe of Visigoth warriors, was kidnapped by the spider
aliens and taken aboard a mother ship where he was studied and made to
work as a slave. Using a map etched into his hand by the "Map Giver", (who
bore an uncanny resemblance to Elvis), Aric sought the ultimate weapon
- the X-O armor - and used its power to destroy the alien ship.

Shanhara, Aric's armor, adapted to Aric and brought
him safely back to a world in which many hundreds of years passed. The
armor helped Aric learn English and slowly acclimated him to 20th century
life. Vengeful Spider Aliens concocted a plan to destroy Shanhara and kill
Aric. After poisoning Aric's water supply, the armor was slowly contaminated
with compounds that weakened it. Shanhara was completely shattered in an
ensuing battle. Paul Bouvier willingly sacrificed himself to become Aric's
new armor, Pol-Bekhara.

CONTROL RING:
Composed of the same synthetic organosilicon compound
as the armor, the control ring serves as remote contact between wearer
and armor. Whoever has possession of the ring controls the armor.

X-O MANOWAR FILES:

ORB INDUSTRIES
A multinational conglomerate based near Boston.
Orb Industries was previously controlled by the spider aliens, who used
the corporation as a front while they prepared for an invasion of Earth.
Using the X-O armor, Aric engaged the Spider Aliens in battle and defeated
them. He then used the armor's computer systems to seize control of Orb's
central computer, thus assuming control of Orb Industries.

RANDY CARTIER
Security Chief of Orb Industries and personal friend
of Aric's. Randy also serves as an assistant and consultant to Aric during
his day-to-day duties at Orb Industries. Randy is also a former member
of the Canadian Secret Service serving on a team known as Department W
- The Wolfbridge Group.

KEN CLARKSON
Aric's second-in-command at Orb Industries twice
attempted to betray the barbarian when he first arrived in the present
world. Knowing he needed support in this modern-day land, Aric replaced
an arm Ken had previously lost with an artificial appendage created by
the X-O armor. Aric was able to monitor Ken's whereabouts and, if he tried
to deceive the Visigoth again, Ken would die by his own hand. Having since
regained his arm after the destruction of Shanhara, Ken will have to determine
where his loyalties lie.

TUROK
Another man lost in time, this 19th century Kiowa
warrior finds he has a lot in common with Aric Dacia. Turok Dinosaur Hunter
finds himself in today's world, along with scores of vicious, technologically-enhanced
bionisaurs. He has joined forces with Aric on a number of occasions, and
has dubbed himself a blood brother to Aric, and comrade to X-O Manowar.

PAUL BOUVIER
Paul Bouvier was a colleague of Randy Cartier when
they served in the Canadian Secret Service under Department W. During a
rescue mission to save Aric and an incapacitated Shanhara from the Spider
Aliens, Paul was bitten by an alien and lost his legs. The venom continued
to course through his system unabated, and was slowly killing him. Solar,
upon hearing of the destruction of Shanhara, journeyed to Saturn to fetch
an X-O seed from another armor for Aric. However, the seed needed a sentient
life form in order to grow a new armor. This process, known as the "joining",
called for the host to sacrifice his or her body. Faced with a terminal
situation, Paul chose to be that host. With Paul's sacrifice, Pol-Bekhara
was born.

TOYO HARADA
The President and CEO of the Harbinger Foundation,
Toyo Harada has made a life's work of gathering young people gifted with
psionic powers, and preparing them for the next step in human evolution.
A clever exchange of favors has made X-O Manowar a sometimes reluctant
ally of Harada.

SNAKEBITE
The members of Department W, an elite task force
for the Canadian Secret Service, have been targeted for death. Their self-appointed
judge, jury and executioner is the mysterious figure known only as Snakebite.
Snakebite's reasons for targeting the individual members of Department
W are unknown. Department W - The Wolfbridge Group, was created specifically
for the apprehension of Kyle Wolfbridge. Wolfbridge was apparently killed
during a confrontation with the task force.